Moby-Dick

Herman Melville

Chapters 22–31

Chapters 32–40, page 2

page 1 of 2

Chapter 32: Cetology

“Cetology,” as Ishmael explains, is “the science of whales.”
In this and subsequent science-centered chapters in the book, Ishmael attempts
to classify whales scientifically. He includes quotations from various
writings on the whale, adding that others might be able to revise
this draft of a classification system. Rather than using the Linnaean
classifications of family, genus, and species—which were already
the standard in Melville’s time—Ishmael divides whales into different
“chapters” of three distinct “books”: the Folio, Octavo, and Duodecimo.

Chapter 33: The Specksynder

“The Specksynder” resembles the previous chapter, but
it analyzes the whaling industry rather than whales. Beginning with
trivia about the changing role of the specksynder (literally, “fat-cutter”), who
used to be chief harpooner and captain, Ishmael moves on to a discussion
of onboard leadership styles. He notes that the dependence of whalers
upon one another for successful hunting and therefore wages begets
its own discipline, and that a whaling ship is less hierarchical
than other vessels. Nevertheless, many captains make a great show
of their rank. Ahab doesn’t flaunt his superiority, although he
can be a tyrant. In fact, Ishmael admits that it can be hard to
see exactly what is remarkable about Ahab: one must “dive . . .
for [it] in the deep.”

Chapter 34: The Cabin-Table

This chapter shows the ship’s officers at dinner. Meals
are a rigid affair over which Ahab presides: no one talks, and a
strict order of service is followed. After the officers finish eating,
the table is relaid for the harpooners, who eat heartily, intimidating
the cook with their voraciousness. The cabin is not a comfortable
place for anyone, as it is Ahab’s territory and Ahab is “inaccessible,”
“an alien.”

Chapter 35: The Mast-Head

Ishmael describes his first post on the masthead (the
top of the ship’s masts) watching for whales. He provides a history
of mastheads and their role on whaling ships. He proceeds to discuss
statues, hermits, and ancient Egyptians as prior “mast-head standers.”
The masthead is a place where whalers spend a great deal of time,
and Ishmael laments its lack of comforts: on a South Seas ship,
the masthead offers only two small pegs upon which to stand. He
compares this setup to that of other ships, which have miniature
cabins atop the masts. Ishmael admits that he himself daydreams
too much to keep a good watch, and he warns captains against hiring
“romantic, melancholy, and absent-minded young men,” who are likely
to miss whales in the vicinity.

Chapter 36: The Quarter-Deck (Enter Ahab: Then, all.)

Ahab finally makes an official appearance before the men.
First, he stirs the crew by calling out simple questions about their
mission, to which they respond in unison. He then presents a Spanish
gold doubloon, proclaiming, “Whosoever of ye raises me a white-headed whale
with a wrinkled brow and a crooked jaw . . . he shall have this gold
ounce, my boys!” The men cheer, and the harpooners ask if it is Moby
Dick that Ahab seeks. Ahab then confesses, in response to Starbuck’s
query, that it was indeed Moby Dick who stripped him of his leg,
and he announces his quest to hunt the whale down. The men shout
together that they will hunt with Ahab, though Starbuck protests
that he “came here to hunt whales, not [his] commander’s vengeance.”
Ahab commences a ritual that binds the crew together: he orders
all of his men to drink from one flagon that gets passed around. Telling
the harpooners to cross their lances before him, Ahab grasps the
weapons and anoints Queequeg, Tashtego, and Daggoo “my three pagan
kinsmen there—yon three most honorable gentlemen and noble men.”
He then makes them take the iron off of the harpoons to use as drinking
goblets. They all drink together as Ahab proclaims, “God hunt us
all, if we do not hunt Moby Dick to his death!”

Chapter 37: Sunset

Over unsounded gorges, through the rifled
hearts of mountains, under torrents’ beds, unerringly I rush!

“Sunset” begins with a stage direction that sets Ahab
alone near a window and consists of a melancholy soliloquy by Ahab.
He notes that everyone thinks that he is mad and that he agrees
with them to a certain extent. He self-consciously calls himself
“demoniac” and “madness maddened.” He reveals that it was foretold
that he would be dismembered by a whale. He proclaims, however,
that he will be both “prophet” and “fulfiller” of Moby Dick’s destiny.
He accepts the inequality of the battle and challenges Moby Dick,
claiming that the whale cannot avoid his fate: “The path to my fixed
purpose is laid with iron rails, whereon my soul is grooved to run.”

Frankly, I find Moby Dick to be a very enigmatic story, but it was required reading for my college degree and I am still trying to understand the importance of this novel.
A man obsessed with a white whale must be a metaphor for man's quest, but it is still puzzling to me.
I am hoping to Spark Notes can consolidate and distill the message, but life always has more pressing matters for me to attend to than deciphering old texts.
Can anyone tell me why this enduring novel is important - in 25 words or less?